1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a warning device and method in a multifunction electronic apparatus driven by a removable battery and capable of first and second processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable, compact electronic apparatus generally is driven by a battery. When the battery voltage falls below a fixed voltage level, the electronic apparatus can no longer operate. Some of these electronic apparatus issue a warning if the battery voltage falls so low that the apparatus can no longer operate.
Multifunction electronic apparatus capable of executing processing of a plurality of types have been developed in recent years. For example, there is a multifunction electronic apparatus possessing two functions, namely the function of a portable information appliance and the function of a mobile telephone. In a multifunction electronic apparatus of this kind, power consumed for the mobile-telephone function is greater than that consumed for the function of the portable electronic appliance.
Occasions arise in which as a result of consumption of the battery, the mobile telephone cannot be made to function but the portable electronic appliance can. This is inconvenient when one desires to use the apparatus as a mobile telephone.
This problem is not limited to a multifunction electronic apparatus having the aforesaid two functions, namely the function of the portable electronic appliance and the function of the mobile telephone but applies also to other multifunction electronic apparatus such as one having the function of a digital camera and the function of a portable cassette tape recorder.
An object of the present invention is to prevent a situation in which when an attempt is made to use a desired function in a multifunction electronic apparatus, the function cannot be used owing to a decline in battery voltage.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a warning device in a multifunction electronic apparatus driven by a removable battery and capable of first and second processing, comprising: a priority-processing setting unit for setting which processing of the first and second processing is to be given priority; a detection unit for detecting voltage of the battery; and a warning unit for issuing a warning in response to detection by the detection unit of the fact that the voltage of the battery is in the vicinity of a voltage at which execution of the priority processing set by the priority-processing setting unit is impossible.
The present invention provides also a method suited to the device described above. Specifically, in a warning device of a multifunction electronic apparatus driven by a removable battery and capable of first and second processing, there is provided a method comprising the steps of: setting which processing of the first and second processing is to be given priority; detecting power-supply voltage of the battery; and issuing a warning in response to detection of the fact that the voltage of the battery is in the vicinity of a voltage at which execution of the set priority processing is impossible.
In accordance with the present invention, whichever of the first or second processing is to be given priority is set and the power-supply voltage of the battery is detected. A warning is issued if it is detected that the battery voltage is in the proximity of a voltage (or has attained the voltage per se) at which it is not possible to execute the priority processing that has been set.
By being so warned, the user can ascertain that a state is near in which execution of the set priority processing will not be possible. The user can then replace the battery with a new battery as necessary in order to enable execution of the priority processing. Thus the multifunction electronic apparatus can be so maintained that execution of the priority processing will be possible.
Examples of the first and second processing are processing to provide the function of a portable electronic appliance, processing to provide the function of a digital camera, processing to provide the function of a cassette tape recorder, timepiece processing, GPS (Global Positioning System) processing and DAP (Digital Audio Player) processing.
The warning device may further be provided with a use-time setting unit for setting a use time for executing the priority processing set by the priority-processing setting unit. In this case the warning unit would issue the warning in response to detection by the detection unit of the fact that the battery voltage has attained a voltage in the vicinity of the power-supply voltage necessary for the length of time set by the use-time setting unit.
An arrangement may be adapted in which supply of power by the battery is halted in response to detection by the detection unit of the fact that the battery voltage has attained a voltage at which it is not possible to execute the priority processing set by the priority-processing setting unit. This makes it possible to suppress battery consumption.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.